Dental cleaning device.



F. ECAUBEHT.

DENTAL CLEANWQDEVICE. Aprucmon mw ma. 2u. 1914.

1 ,287,926. Patented Dec. 17, 1918.

WITNESSES INVENTOR @L www nl nel. vulman. uuumcrnu. a c

FREDERIC ECAUBERT, 0F BROOKLYN, NEW YORK.

DENTAL CLEANING DEVICE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Dec. 17, 1918.

Application filed March 28, 1914. Serial No. 827,903.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, FREDERIC ECAUBERT, a citizen of the United States, residing in the borough of Brooklyn, county of Kings, and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Dental Cleaning Devices, of which the following is a full and clear specification.

The present invention relates to dental cleaning devices, such as dental floss and the like. Dental floss at the present time is put up in various forms some of which comprise a receptacle or hol er in which a length of the floss can be drawn out from the supply and held under tension for use.

According to my invention, a new forni 0f dental floss is produced, which is not only superior iniits cleaning properties, but is peculiarly adapted for being positively se cured under tension between two supporting members at any portion of its length for the cleaning operation.

Dental floss is ordinarily flat and of a size to pass between two teeth. According to my invention the dental floss is constructed ot one or more strands of smaller cross section than the usual dental floss, so that the aggregate area of cross Section will approximate that of the usual dental floss.

One important object of my invention is to provide a dental floss Awhich will have better cleaning properties and which will more readily conform itself to the shape and dimensions of the variously shaped spaces through which it may be passed. Another object is to provide a form of dental floss of which any portion of its length may be readily secured under tension in a holder.

I attain these and other objects of my in vention by constructing the floss in the forni of a chain, looping, lock stitch, braid, woven tape, or the like, so that portions disposed transversely or substantially transversely of the main axis are present and a broken or non-continuous outer surface is provided. One especially advantageous way of providing these conditions is te produce a series of short interlocking loops or stitches so that in addition to gaining the transverse portions, which give the uneven outer surface and adapt the lloss to being readily se cured under tension, strands which have more or less freedom to assume different relative positions are provided, whereby the floss will more readily conform itself to the shape and dimensions of the space into which it is introduced.

Any desired number of strands may be employed, but to clearly illustrate the invention I have shown in the accompanying drawing certain embodiments of the invention in which one, two and three separate strands are employed.

ln said drawing,

Figure 1 is a face view, with parts in section, of a holder provided with a supply of the improved dental floss;

Fig. 1al is a central transverse section of the case;

Fig. 2 is an enlarged edge view of a portion of the holder;

Fig'. 3 is an enlar ed view of a construction of the dental oss in which a single strand is looped into a three strand form;

Fig. 4 is a similar view showing interlocking loops formed from three separate strands;

Fig. 5 is a detail view showing conformation ot' the dental floss to the size and shape et' the space into which it is inserted;

Fig. G is an enlarged view of three separate strands twisted together in such manner :is (o forni a dental floss in which the bers extend transversely of the dental floss;

Fig. 7 is a similar view of two separate strands looped together to form two strand dental floss.

Referring to Figs. 1 and 2, the dental floss holder herein shown may he made prefer'- ably of suitable resilient material such as Celluloid to obviate the necessity for special mechanical devices to obtain tension, and comprises a housing or case 10, for a coil or roll of dental floss 11, and tensioning arm 12, projecting from the case 10. The case 10 is provided with a slot 13, which has an end wall 14 inclined to the diameter of the case and side walls 15 inclined to the main plane ol" the ease. Disposed in the narrow side of the slot thus produced is a preferably curved series of projecting teeth 16, the plate upon which they are formed being embedded in the Celluloid in the molding operation and afterward cut ofl` Hush with the case. A similar slot or recess 17 provided with teeth 18 is formed in the outer end of the tensioning arm 12. The dental floss in the form oi' a chain, for example, is drawn from the supply 11 through the slot 13 near the wall 14, where it is clear of the projecting teeth 16,

and passed through the slot 17 clear of the teeth 18, after which, by pulling on the pro jected length of dental floss, the teeth lf3 ivill pass through the loops or otherwise positively engage the transverse portions oi the dental floss in the slot 13. By pressing in- Ward the outer end of tensioningl arni 12 and bringing the dental floss into engagement with the tee-th 18, the projected length will thereby be secured under tension between the two sets of teeth. By having the transverse portions at short intervals, any variation in the normal length or spring of the arin 12 is rendered immaterial.

Fig. 3 illustrates one of the preferred forms of looped 'construction `for the dental floss, a plurality of interlocking loops 19 being produced from a single strand, iorinino virtually a three strand dental floss.

ig. 4 illustrates a braided construction, in which three separate strands Q0. 21 and Q2 are disposed in diagonally transverse direction and forni relatively7 fiat interlocking' loops.

Fi 5 Shows how the three strands provide( by the construction illustrated in Fig. 3 can assume positions in a single plane to facilitate passage of the dental floss through a restricted opening.

Fig. 6 shows a twisted construction in which three strands 23, 2li and are formed into a cord with their individual fibers cxtending transversely of the main axis of the cord, which is accomplished by reversingthe direction of twist employed in the ordinary form of rope.

Fig. 7 illustrates a dental floss loi-ined of two separate strands 26 and Q7 which :ire looped together into the forni of more or less extended flat knots.

In all forms of the invention herein illuspassage through restricted openings and lto conform themselves to irregular or varying spaces between the teeth. The transverseportions are in all cases provided at relatively close intervals so as to enable the securing of the desired portion of dental floss under the tension in the holder Without having to regard the location of the stops thus provided.

T he dental floss herein shown is preferably provided with wax.

l claim:

l. A device of the character described, comprising in combination a length of dental floss formed of strand material havingl transversely extending portions at short intervals, and means for engaging the transverse portions thereof to hold the floss under tension.

2. A device of the character described, comprising in combination a holder having a slotted case with a slotted tensioning arin projecting therefrom, pointed teeth exposed in said slots, and a supply of dental floss toi-ined ol strand material having transversely extending portions adapted to positively4 engage the said pointed teeth.

FREDERIC ECAUBERT.

Witnesses OoTAviUs KNIGHT, M. G. CRAWFORD.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents,

Washington, D. C. 

